My Reflection
The girl I see in the mirror is the same as me. She greets me every morning, then wishes me goodnight. From the powerful calves to the chestnut hair, there are many characteristics that we share. She once was small and scrawny, but those knobby knees have since given way to someone I barely know. The girl I see hiding behind the glass changed somewhere amongst those years. The nasty pre-teen years have come and gone, the braces have been removed, and lessons have been learned. Though her eyes still sparkle when she smiles, they aren't quite the same. The girl in the mirror has boasted my haircuts gone awry and scars that don't quite fade. She shows the mascara smudges and the tears I sometimes cry. Her clothes aren't always matching and sometimes those eyes are makeup free. I don't see the beauty reflecting back, but maybe that's just me.
My Reflections
I don't think she understands that she is not the same as me. I am only a reflection of her features, a two-dimensional anatomy. Beneath those deep dark eyes, there is so much that I cannot show. When I reflect that pesky pimple, it breaks my heart to see her confidence crumble away. But really she is not merely just those chocolate eyes and dark hair. She is kindness and compassion, sweetness and love. Sometimes she is anxious and afraid because the future is a scary place. Still she has a zest for life, a drive to live and learn. The bony hands she has grown tired of are her instruments for creation. Every word she writes with those hands is a warrior fighting the fights she thinks she cannot win. But the heart you cannot see speaks the loudest. With a weakness for fluffy animals and tiny children, she wants the world to be a peaceful place for them. She thinks that she needs that jet-black pencil to make her eyes look good, but the soul that shines from within speaks on its own. Loving life is what she does best, even when it doesn't treat her right. Life isn't always perfect, and I can see that in her hair. But still, beyond the features, which she sees, I see the beauty looking in and now I see, that is me.
